KHAR: Leaders of political parties and election candidates in Bajaur Agency on Sunday accused Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shaukatullah Khan of misusing his official position in favour of his father and brother, who are contesting general election on two National Assembly seats of the tribal agency.

Speaking at a press conference at Bajaur Press Club, they demanded of the Election Commission of Pakistan to order immediate removal of Shaukatullah Khan from the governor’s office.

The political leaders and candidates for NA-43 who spoke at the press conference included Jamaat-i-Islami Fata chief Haroon Rasheed, Abdullah Khan of PML-N, Saidur Rehman of PPP and Gul Zafar Khan of PTI besides independent candidates Fateh Rehman, Fazal Rehman and Iqbal Khan.

They said that all political parties wanted holding of free, fair and transparent election in the agency, but unfortunately the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor was creating problems for fair conduct of election in the agency.

“Governor Shaukatullah is not only involved in misuse of his official powers in support of his father Bismallah Khan and brother Hidayatullah Khan, but also creating problems for other candidates in their election campaign and he is simply partial,” they alleged.

They said that Mr Shaukatullah’s presence in the Governor’s House had been directly influencing the election process in the tribal region because of his official position and responsibilities.

The candidates said that the Governor’s House had been converted into election office and hundreds of tribal elders were being called there daily for getting assurances of their support for the success of his father and brother in the upcoming election. They said that the ECP had banned launching of new development schemes, but several development schemes were launched recently in various area of Bajaur Agency on special directives of the governor in flagrant violation of the commission’s instruction. “The launch of dozens of development projects in different sectors in the region under the governor’s directives is aimed at facilitating the elders supporting his father and brother in the election,” they said.

The political leaders said that being the chief executive of Federally Administered Tribal Areas the governor had been using the officials of local administration for support of his father and brother.

They alleged that on the one hand the governor was busy distributing funds among tribal elders, on the other he had been issuing chits of recommendation to tribal elders directing the administration to grant them financial assistance.

They candidates from the region said that they had the evidence of governor’s interference in election process in the region and that would soon be submitted to the ECP. They said that an application against the governor would be sent to the commission on Monday (today).

They have demanded of the ECP, Chief Justice of Pakistan and caretaker prime minister to take serious notice of the governor’s actions and issue orders for relieving him from his responsibilities.